Writing and editing consultant, Office of Strategy and Evidence

Writing and editing consultant, Office of Strategy and Evidence (Innocenti) 4.5 months – Remote #596485 Job no: 596485 Contract type: Consultant Duty Station: Florence Level: Consultancy

Location:
Italy Categories: Programme Management UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling. UNICEF is a place where careers are built.

We offer
our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package. Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF. For every child, the right toEducation How can you make a difference? Purpose of AssignmentIn 2026, UNICEF began implementing its Strategic Plan, 2026–2029. The forthcoming UNICEF Executive Director’s Annual Report (EDAR) provides a concise account of the organization’s achievements, trends, challenges, emerging priorities, and progress in advancing its objectives and commitments during the first year of implementation of the Strategic Plan.
As a flagship strategic report presented to the Executive Board at the Annual Session in June 2027, the EDAR will serve as a key accountability and communication instrument for senior leadership, governing bodies, Member States, partners, and other stakeholders. It will synthesize evidence from across the organization and present a coherent strategic narrative on results achieved, lessons learned, and priorities moving forward.
UNICEF seeks professional support in drafting and editing of the respective materials in compliance with the UNICEF style guide, including highest quality editorial and communication standards, and in line with the submission timelines. Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Strategic Planning and Analytics (SPA) Unit, the consultant will work on drafting and editing of the report. As a core member of the SPA team, the consultant will work closely with technical specialists, programme experts, data analysts, and senior management to synthesize inputs from across the organization and translate them into a coherent, high‑quality, publication‑ready strategic report that adheres to UNICEF editorial standards and communication requirements.
Scope of Work In close consultation with the supervisor, the consultant will draft and edit the Annual report for 2026 of the Executive Director of UNICEF and edit the EDAR QCPR related annex, drawing on technical inputs and source materials provided by organizational units and in line with the scope of work and timeline outlined below:
- Conceptualization: Review strategic documents, background materials, evaluations, monitoring reports, and other relevant sources to inform the overall report storyline and narrative architecture, while identifying cross-cutting themes, strategic insights, and emerging issues for inclusion in the report.
- Drafting: Develop the detailed report outline and chapter structure; draft sections using quantitative and qualitative evidence; prepare executive summaries, key messages, conclusions, and the way forward; and translate complex technical content into accessible, compelling, and coherent strategic narratives.
- Consultation and review process: Participate in consultations and review meetings with relevant stakeholders; engage with contributing organizational units to clarify inputs and address feedback; consolidate comments received during internal and external review processes; and support overall narrative coherence.
- Quality assurance: Edit contributions received from organizational units and stakeholders; harmonize writing style, terminology, and messaging across chapters; ensure compliance with UNICEF editorial standards and style guidelines; verify the consistency of facts, figures, references, and citations; and strengthen the readability, clarity, and impact of the report.
- Finalization: Prepare publication‑ready drafts, review layout versions, conduct final editorial quality assurance, and ensure alignment across the EDAR narrative, the QCPR annex, and supporting documents, as needed. Timeline:
- First draft of the 2026 EDAR by 25 February 2027;
- Final draft of the 2026 EDAR by 2 April 2027;
- Edited draft of the EDAR QCPR annex and supporting documents by 6 April 2027. For ease of reference the Annual report for 2025 of the Executive Director of UNICEF can be found here and the QCPR related annex can be found here. If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete TOR here: TOR TMC0006887.pdf To qualify as an advocate for every chil